GMAT Critical Reasoning Practice Test 03

1.

Scientists investigating a rare metabolic disorder hypothesized that obesity was a predisposing factor in the development of the disease. A study of twenty patients found that, on average, the patients were close to the normal weight for their height.

Before concluding that obesity is not a predisposing factor, the researchers would find the answer to which of the following questions most useful?

A. Are the patients above or below normal height?
B. Were any of the patients underweight when the disorder was diagnosed?
C. Does weight loss reduce the severity of the symptoms?
D. Have the patients always been close to the normal weight for their heights?
E. How many of the patients had obese parents?

2.

In research designed to investigate the possibility of animals developing friendship with other, unrelated, members of their species, a group of 29 chimpanzees were reared together for 15 years. At the end of that time the chimps were presented with two options for obtaining food: press a lever and feed themselves, or press another identical lever and feed themselves, and at the same time deliver food to the chimp next door. (The chimps were able to see each other). The researchers found that the chimps were no more likely to choose the lever that fed a neighbor. The researchers concluded that the chimps had no concept of friendship. However, one critic has suggested that the animals were in an artificial environment from which little can be concluded, and that, at the least, the test ought to have involved the animals being able to touch.

What role do the parts in boldface play in the argument above?

A. The first is a position that the critic opposes. The second is a position that the critic supports.
B. The first is an observation that supports the researchers’ position. The second is an observation that opposes the researchers’ position.
C. The first is a finding on which the researchers base their conclusion. The second is a suggestion that might cast doubt on that finding.
D. The first is an observation that supports the critic’s conclusion. The second is the critic’s conclusion.
E. The first is part of the evidence that the critic disputes. The second is a suggestion that the researchers do not accept.

3.

Questions 3-4 refer to the following:

Jay: We have too many people working on each of our computers in the office. The high frequency of breakdowns is due to too many people handling the same hardware.

Ada: We have just as many people working in our office, yet we hardly need any repairs to our systems. Our systems must be more robust than yours.

Ada’s argument would be most strengthened by providing data on the

A. actual number of people in the two offices
B. type of computers that are in both offices
C. ratio of computers to users in her office
D. number of visits by computer engineers to service the computers in Jay’s office
E. number of computers in Jay’s office

4.

Refer to the extract in the previous question

Jay apparently believes that

A. he has the best available hardware
B. the frequency of breakdowns in his office is above average
C. software specifications are not important in his office
D. no other office has a similar ratio of computers to users
E. he does not need more people working in his office

5.

A rare disease, malicitis, is being diagnosed with increasing frequency. The number of cases reported this year is more than double the number reported four years ago. The government should now allocate more funds for treatment and prevention of malicitis.

All of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion except

A. funds already available for research in malicitis are currently under-utilized
B. a new test employed for the first time this year detects malicitis at a considerably earlier stage in the development of the disease
C. the number of cases reported this year represents the same fraction of the population as reported in all of the last five years
D. a committee of experts reviewed the funding four years ago
E. a private foundation has committed sufficient funds to cover treatment and prevention needs as well as research for the next five years

6.

Thousands of people have tonsillectomies every year and all live normal lives after the operation. We can conclude, from this observation, that the tonsils have no function in the body.

The argument would be most weakened by which of the following, if it were true?

A. People live normal lives after appendectomies but the appendix is known to be part of the digestive system.
B. Another part of the body can take over the function of the tonsils if they are removed.
C. The tonsils have been shown to have a vital role to play in the physiology of laboratory rabbits and guinea pigs.
D. The human tonsil develops as part of the immune system, a system of vital importance in defense against disease.
E. Tonsillectomies are performed only when the tonsils become seriously infected.